Well casing handling tool

ABSTRACT

A handling tool used for inserting a well casing pipe into a previously drilled hole such as a water well hole. The tool is designed to be used with the machine which is used to drill the well. The tool includes a first coupling end which can be connected to the rotary head of a drilling machine and a second coupling member which can be connected to the casing pipe to be inserted in the previously drilled hole. The two coupling parts are pivotally connected to each other. The pivotal connection allows the casing pipe to be aligned with the hole in which it is to be inserted. The tool transfers longitudinal and rotary movement from the rotary head to the casing pipe.

United States Patent Leven eta].

[l5] 3,65,561 5] Apr. l8, 1972 [54] WELL CASING HANDLING TOOL 3,463,2478/1969 Klein ..l75/85 x 3,053,330 9/1962 Arthur ....175/207 X [72] 623,265,138 8/1966 Alexander et al ..l75/85 x [73] Assignee:lngersoll-Rand Company, New York, NY. P im y ne avid H. BrownAttorney-Carl R. Horten, David W. Tibbott, Frank H. Thom- [22] Flled:May 1970 son and Bernard J. Murphy .1 41 37 [211 App] 57 ABSTRACT H 7 1A handling tool used for inserting a well casing pipe into a [52] U S Cl1 3/163 173/147 0 3 previously drilled hole such as a water well hole.The tool is 51 1 1m. 0 "E211, 19/16 designed to be used with the machinewhich is used to drill the [58] Field 7 8 5 202 203 well. The toolincludes a first coupling end which can be con- 147 i 3 nected to therotary head of a drilling machine and a second 1 coupling member whichcan be connected to the casing pipe to be inserted in the previouslydrilled hole. The two coupling [56] References cued parts are pivotallyconnected to each other. The pivotal con- UNITED STATES EN nectionallows the casing pipe to be aligned with the hole in which it is to beinserted. The tool transfers longitudinal and 1 i g f rotary movementfrom the rotary head to the casing pipe. em 1,377,575 5/1921 Greve..l75/207 X 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures l6 5 ll lo J l 1 'l2 3PATENTEDAPR 18 I972 INVENTORS SAMUEL LEI EN KENNETH s. MOFF/TT I WELLCASING HANDLING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to a well casing handling tool and in particular to a casinghandling tool for use in inserting a casing pipe into a previouslydrilled hole such as a water well hole.

In the construction of a water well, a hole is first drilled in theearth until an ample supply of water is reached. After the drillingoperation is complete, it is necessary to insert a casing into the upperportion of the drilled hole. The casing is merely a large diameter pipeof random length.

Problems are often encountered in inserting the casing pipe into thepreviously drilled hole. These problems include aligning the pipe withthe hole and the pipe sticking in the hole. Since the hole is drilled bymeans of a drilling machine which has a rotation mechanism to rotate thedrill bit during the drilling of the hole and a longitudinal feedmechanism for applying some pressure to the drill bit and advancing thedrill bit as the hole deepens, it would be desirable to employ thedrilling machine in inserting the easing into the hole. The rotationalmechanism of the drilling machine can be used for coupling one casingsection to another. The feed mechanism of the drilling machine can beused for forcing the casing down the hole in the event it gets stuck inthe hole.

Prior to the present invention no convenient apparatus was availablewhich allowed the casing pipe to be connected to the drilling machineand at the same time allowed the rotary and feed mechanism of thedrilling machine to be used in inserting the casing pipe in the hole.Prior to the present invention, the casing pipe was manually positionedover the hole in which it was to be inserted. The size of the casingpipe makes such manual labor difficult.

SUMMARY It is therefore the principle object of this invention toprovide a well casing handling tool which permits the drilling machineused to drill the well to be used in inserting the casing pipe into thehole.

It is another object of this invention to provide a casing handling toolwhich permits the drilling machine to be used to align the casing pipewith the previously drilled hole in which it is to be inserted.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a handlingtool which permits the full downward force of the drilling machine to beused in pushing the casing pipe into the hole.

The foregoing and other objects will be carried out by providingapparatus for use in inserting a casing pipe into a previously drilledhole comprising: a first member adapted to be connected to one end of acasing pipe; a second member adapted to be connected to the rotary headof a drilling machine; and means for pivotally connecting said firstmember to said second member to permit the casingpipe to be aligned withthe hole in which it is to be inserted and for transmitting thelongitudinal movement of said second member to said first member so thata downward force applied to said second member will be transmitted tosaid first member and the casing pipe for forcing said casing pipe intothe hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be described inconnection with the annexed drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a rock drilling machine employing thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a generally schematic view of the present invention used toconnect a casing pipe to a drilling machine; and

FIG. 3 is a view partially in section of the casing handling tool of thepresent invention with a casing pipe connected thereto.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a drilling machine generally indicated at 1which may be used for drilling holes such as water wells. The machineincludes a drill tower 2, conventional leveling jacks 3 and a suitabledust control system 4. A rotary head 5 is movably mounted on the tower 2and may be of any suitable type such as that shown in US. Pat. No.3,446,295 A chain drive 6 may be used for moving the rotary head 5 alongthe length of the drill tower 2. The rotary head 5 includes a rotationoutput member 7. During drilling operations, a drill rod having a drillbit or down hole drill and drill bit is connected to the rotary output 7of the rotary head 5. The drill rod is rotated and advanced by therotary head 5 in a conventional manner to drill the hole. A centralizer8 is provided to maintain alignment of the drill rod. The drillingmachine may be provided with a drill rod storing and handling apparatus9.

When the machine is used for drilling a hole such as a water well, thedrill tower and rotary head must be aligned with the hole to be drilled.Since the casing pipe must also be aligned with the hole when it isbeing inserted in the hole, it would be desirable to employ the drillingmachine to insert the casing into the hole. One problem is to get thecasing pipe connected to the rotary head. The handling apparatus of thepresent invention is particularly well adapted to perform this function.

The handling apparatus of the present invention is best shown in FIGS. 2and 3 and includes a first member or coupling end 10 including acircular plate member 11 having an externally threaded annular portion12. The threaded portion 12 is threadedly connected to a conventionalcoupling member 13 which is threadedly secured to a casing pipe 14.After the casing is inserted in the hole, the coupling 13 may be usedfor connecting one casing section 14 to another casing section. As bestshown in FIG. 3, the plate member 11 defines a shoulder 15 which isdimensioned to fit over the end of the coupling 13 and thereagainst sothat, as subsequently explained, force applied to coupling end 10 willbe transmitted to the annular end of easing pipe coupling 13, byshoulder 15, to help unload and to avoid stressing the threads ofannular portion 12. A female coupling element 16 in the form of a yokeextends upwardly from the plate member 11. The female coupling element16 is provided with a bore 17 through each of the legs of the yoke.

The casing handling apparatus also includes a second member or head end20. The second member 20 includes a plate member 21 and upwardlyprojecting threaded portion 22 which is adapted to be threadedlyconnected to a spindle hub 23 which is connected to the rotary output 7of the rotary head 5. A male coupling element 24 having a radial bore 25therethrough projects downwardly from the plate 21. The male couplingelement 24 is adapted to be received by the female coupling element 16so that the bore 17 is suitably aligned with the bore 25 to permit a pin30 to pivotally connect the members 10 and 20.

In use, the first member 10 is threadedly connected to the couplingmember 13 while the casing pipe 14 is positioned on the ground. Therotary head 5 is lowered. A sling from a hoist, schematically indicatedat 35 in FIG. 2, is connected near one end of the casing pipe 14. Thecasing pipe 14 is raised off the ground and the female coupling element16 is aligned with the male coupling 24 so that the bores 17 and 25 aregenerally aligned. The pin 30 is inserted in the bores. The bore 25 islarger in diameter than the bore 16 to permit the coupling members 10and 20 to be pivotally connected to each other.

The rotary head 5 is then raised on the drill tower and the casing pipe14 swings into alignment with the previously drilled hole. The rotaryhead 5 with casing pipe 14 connected thereto is lowered and the pipe 14is inserted in the centralizer 8 on the drilling machine. Thecentralizer prevents further pivotal movement of the pipe 14 and insuresalignment between the pipe and the drilled hole. The rotary head 5 isthen lowered and the casing pipe 14 is inserted in the previouslydrilled hole.

In the event the pipe becomes stuck in the hole the full downward pushof the rotary head can be used to force the easing into the hole, suchforce will be transferred directly from the coupling member 20 to themember 10 and the easing pipe 14. The male and female coupling elementsare such that the casing pipe may be rotated by the rotary head 5 in theevent it is desired to couple one casing pipe to another casing pipewhich is already in the hole. Because the bore 25 is larger in diameterthan the bore 17 the member 20 can move relative to the member and theplate member 21 can be placed in contact with the coupling element 16.This allows the transfer of longitudinal movement through the couplingmembers rather than through the pin 30.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that the objects of thisinvention are carried out. A simple casing handling tool or apparatushas been provided which permits the drilling machine to be used for bothstarting the casing pipe down the hole, for coupling one casing pipe toanother and for forcing the casing pipe into the hole in the event itbecomes stuck.

We claim:

1. In combination, a drilling machine having a tower and a rotary headlongitudinally movably mounted on said drill tower, and a couplingassembly for inserting a casing pipe into a previously drilled holecomprising a first member adapted to be connected to a casing pipe, asecond member connected to said rotary head and means for connectingsaid first member to said second member so that a casing pipe can beraised and lowered relative to said drill tower; wherein said firstmember is pivotally connected to said second member by means of a pinwhich permits limited longitudinal movement between said first andsecond members.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said first and secondmembers is provided with a male coupling element having a boretherethrough and the other of said first and second members is providedwith a female coupling element having a bore therethrough, one of saidbores being larger in diameter than the other of said bores, said femalecoupling element adapted to receive said male coupling element and saidpin means adapted to extend into each of said bores.

3. Apparatus for use in inserting a casing pipe into a previouslydrilled hole, comprising:

a first member having means for threadedly engaging a casing pipe endcoupling;

a second member having means for effecting a driven coupling of saidsecond member to the rotary head of a drilling machine; and

means for pivotally connecting said first member to said second memberto permit the casing pipe and end coupling thereof to be aligned withthe hole in which it is to be inserted and for transmitting thelongitudinal movement of said second member to said first member so thata downward force applied to said second member will be transmitted tosaid first member and the end coupling for forcing said casing pipe intothe hole; wherein said first member includes means defining a shoulderthrough which downward movement of said first and second members istransmitted to said end coupling.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said connecting means comprises amale coupling element, extending from one of said first and secondmembers, having a bore therethrough, and a female coupling element,extending from the other of said first and second members, having a boretherethrough;

said male coupling element being receivable by said female couplingelement for engagement therewith; and

pin means for insertion into the bores of both said male and femalecoupling elements for pivotally connecting said first member to saidsecond member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4,'wherein:

the bore in one of said male and female coupling elements is larger thanthe bore of the other of said male and female coupling elements tothereby permit relative movement between said fist member and saidsecond member towards and away from each other.

1. In combination, a drilling machine having a tower and a rotary headlongitudinally movably mounted on said drill tower, and a couplingassembly for inserting a casing pipe into a previously drilled holecomprising a first member adapted to be connected to a casing pipe, asecond member connected to said rotary head and means for connectingsaid first member to said second member so that a casing pipe can beraised and lowered relative to said drill tower; wherein said firstmember is pivotally connected to said second member by means of a pinwhich permits limited longitudinal movement between said first andsecond members.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said firstand second members is provided with a male coupling element having abore therethrough and the other of said first and second members isprovided with a female coupling element having a bore therethrough, oneof said bores being larger in diameter than the other of said bores,said female coupling element adapted to receive said male couplingelement and said pin means adapted to extend into each of said bores. 3.Apparatus for use in inserting a casing pipe into a previously drilledhole, comprising: a first member having means for threadedly engaging acasing pipe end coupling; a second member having means for effecting adriven coupling of said second member to the rotary head of a drillingmachine; and means for pivotally connecting said first member to saidsecond member to permit the casing pipe and end coupling thereof to bealigned with the hole in which it is to be inseRted and for transmittingthe longitudinal movement of said second member to said first member sothat a downward force applied to said second member will be transmittedto said first member and the end coupling for forcing said casing pipeinto the hole; wherein said first member includes means defining ashoulder through which downward movement of said first and secondmembers is transmitted to said end coupling.
 4. The apparatus of claim3, wherein said connecting means comprises a male coupling element,extending from one of said first and second members, having a boretherethrough, and a female coupling element, extending from the other ofsaid first and second members, having a bore therethrough; said malecoupling element being receivable by said female coupling element forengagement therewith; and pin means for insertion into the bores of bothsaid male and female coupling elements for pivotally connecting saidfirst member to said second member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4,wherein: the bore in one of said male and female coupling elements islarger than the bore of the other of said male and female couplingelements to thereby permit relative movement between said fist memberand said second member towards and away from each other.